Remember those beautiful apples (above) from our very plentiful apple tree? By summer's end, the limbs were out of control--way too many apples. The tree had begun to slant, but it was too heavy for us to straighten out.A few weeks ago, we picked all the apples that we could save. I made the apple jam and some apple sauce; we gave buckets of apples away to friends.
Then, recently, we started to trim the tree. We trimmed everything, and now our two once-plentiful apple trees are now just bark...
It will come back next year, and I hope the apples return as well. I have no luck with trimming trees, but the trees do look much neater now, and we've used straps to pull them up as straight as we can.Any tree trimming/pruning at your home?
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16 comments:
This is the time to do the tree trimming. I haven't started mine yet, still trying to plant bulbs and shrubs and... well you get it. Soon to the trees though.
I'd heard the apple tres will lean if it gets too heavy on one side, I think next year you might cut out some large limbs on the heavier side. I think they like growing horizontal, the cap of the tree that is.
I prune in the spring, with warm and cold weather it might force growing and then winter kill, but its hard to decide what to take out.
I don't like to prune...my eye is terrible and I always chop off the wrong branches! We have a great arborist who cares for our trees!
Hi DP, your tree looks much happier. Dawn is right, cutting off from the heavier side will allow the tree to right itself. There is probably lots of pruning advice online at respected sites too. Good luck.
Frances
I'm sure your tree will respond good. I have a couple of shrub/trees I need to prune as well.
Looks like it should be much happier next season from the prune job. Its nice when apples are pruned in a way that most apples can be picked without a ladder. I'm not sure how you go about this but it's how they do it at the u-pick apple farms.
I'm no good at pruning. It looks like you have done a good job though.
You can look forward to next years harvest every time you enjoy the jam and sauce you preserved.
What kind of apple tree is it? I have an old fashioned one in my pasture. The horses used to enjoy the ones that fell and the low branches they could reach;)
Marnie
Ah, That is so funny *in a weird sort of way!* I do not envy your situation...at all. I know that when my grandma's peaches start to come she has to acctually put 2x4 under teh branches to brace them so that they do not break off!
Thanks for the good luck wish for school! I just got the grade for my 15pg paper. I got an 88 (High B), 2 points shy of an A....AHHHHHHHHHHHH! I really wanted that A. Oh well, a B is good, I guess that I will have to try harder with the upcoming final. *Screams of horror*
I bet the tree will bounce back and you will have many apples next year for more apple sauce and yummy pies!
The shape looks pretty good DP. We use to have two apple trees in our garden but the squirrels kept invading the tree before they could ripen & leaving half-eaten fruit all over the place. What a mess!
Great blog, beautiful photos and articles. Very informative. Thank you for sharing and keep up the great work. Rick
Signing out for a bit and just wanted to wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!
Oh yeah, what a problem, too many apples. That's how it is with our pear trees....if we could get one apple I think my husband might attempt a handstand!
Its hard to tell what the future holds, huh? I think pruning shows hope, and faith! (I personally have prune-r fear!) Your tree looks tidy:)
nice blog ...and photo your cat beautiful
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